The 'Cougar Town' actress has just directed her first feature film, 'Just Before I Go', and says she chose to work on the comedy because it related to her personality.

She said: ''It kind of shows that when you think something is going on with you, you realise, as you look out, that everyone is struggling and we all have our issues.

''I was also drawn to the hilarity and subversive humour. Between the heartfelt stuff and the crazy obscure humour, it was perfect for my personality. It was grounded yet outrageous.''

Courteney - who has nine-year-old daughter Coco with ex-husband David Arquette - recently debuted the movie at the Tribeca film festival and was so nervous, she forgot what she wanted to say to the audience.

She told Britain's HELLO! magazine: ''Going up there and seeing people watching the movie at a festival where they're expecting something - I don't know, I just got really nervous.

''I meant to say that Coco, my daughter, sang the opening song, but I forgot.''

However, the actress admits she was ''surprised'' not to be nervous when she stepped behind the camera to make the movie.

She said: ''What surprised me was that it didn't make me nervous. I was more nervous the first time directing 'Cougar Town', thinking about how I was going to bring something different and be as fast as possible - nobody wants to be there longer than you have to.''